What is your writing process like?
Try to knock out 500 to 2000 words at a time ... then edit later.
How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
Movies are my inspiration.
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
No write. It comes and it goes ... I don't worry about it much. If I don't feel like writing that day, I don't write.
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
I read 'em to see if there is any validity in them ... information that I can learn from ... other than that, forget 'em.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
Staying disciplined.
How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
Well, I've been writing most of my life ... but focusing on books started about twenty years ago.
What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
Just keep trekking ... knock something out and then edit later ... you'll be surprised at how much is useable and what you can accomplish.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
The characters just seem to materialize out of thin air ... I don't know where they come from, but once I have a character in mind he or she develops as the plot develops ... the plot is usually something that inspired me from a movie ... but I'm convinced that plot really only exists to service the characters.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
Two published and one in development. My favorite is the one I'm working on at the moment.
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
The ending. It's always hardest for me to wrap the thing up.
What inspired the idea for your book?
As I said before ... it's usually a movie that I've seen that provides the inspiration for a book.
What was your hardest scene to write, and why?
Always tough to write scenes between men and women ... trying to tap into the woman's thinking and motivation in a realistic way is a challenge. I often ask women's opinions to see if it rings true.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
Nothing really ... just a little quiet time. I find that I work best if I don't try to take on too much at a time ... even if it just means writing a paragraph ... if that's all I have that day, I move on and don't think about it. Believe it or not, a paragraph a day can add up to something in no time.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Mark Twain. He was so prolific and insightful ... I would love to pick his brain.
When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
Never have.